And back to the Enchanted Forest we go, people!

7 Months Prior

On route to Blackbeard's docks, Enchanted Forest

As they left the small town in the early morning hours the mist still clung to the ground, providing an even more enchanted look to the old forest they were set to journey through. Killian Jones, more commonly known as Captain Hook, had not been pleased when the two sorcerers had showed up with Ariel, announcing they were coming along, but he also knew better than to argue with them. They had magic and if there was one thing he was nowadays very cautious about dabbling in it was exactly that.

As he knew the way to the old docks that Blackbeard used as a land base he took the lead, marching through the undergrowth of the forest as the sun slowly rose. The chill stayed present in the forest throughout their journey, but no one complained. Well, at least not about that; Wolfgang, the male sorcerer, looked like he wanted to hit something every time someone spoke or caused a branch to snap. Killian therefore took to amusing himself by doing just that; finding the driest branches on the ground and stomping on them as he walked. Filipi, the female sorceress, sent him multiple glares because of this, but she did not do anything else. It was surprising, truly; sorcerers tended to use their magic willy-nilly to take care of problems like these. Wolfgang and Filipi, however, seemed rather reluctant to use their abilities. Or maybe it was just Filipi; Killian did notice how she placed her hand on his arm as a warning multiple times.

They did not stop for longer than a few minutes at the time, to drink and take out some food from their packs, which they then could eat while walking. Killian longed to feel the move of a ship beneath his soles once more and by not stopping he knew their trek would soon end in that; in him once again standing onboard the Jolly Roger. When it came to Blackbeard... well, Killian certainly did not plan on showing him mercy.

"Trudge, trudge, trudge", Ariel sighed behind him. "If you ask me there's nothing more boring than land travel. I'll take my tail in the ocean any day."

"There's one thing we can agree on", Killian said, eyeing their surroundings, "minus the tail, of course."

The sun had begun to set and they were now walking uphill. A gush of wind brought the smell of the salty sea with it.

"You won't be bored for much longer", he continued, inhaling deeply. "Our destination is just past this rise."

He turned back and saw Ariel smile in relief.

"Then it won't be long until I'm reunited..."

The mermaid fell silent as her purple cloak stuck on the branch of a spruce. Killian rolled his eyes at her attempts to free it and walked back.

"Here, allow me."

Using his hook he tore the cloak free. Ariel stared at the tear for a few moments before looking up at him, her hazel eyes dark with anger.

"You've ripped it!" she exclaimed. Killian stared at her in confusion.

"It's a cloak", he pointed out.

"It's Eric's cloak", Ariel responded, "and he's had it since before we met. He left it with me while he was away to keep him close and now you've ruined it!"

"If mending a cloak is our biggest obstacle we're in fine shape", Wolfgang grunted as he walked past them. Filipi, walking behind him, rolled her eyes at his back before stopping next to Ariel.

"Here, let me", she said and brought out her wand. "Reparo."

Instantly the cloak seemed to sow itself together and the fresh tear vanished. Filipi then put her wand back inside her sleeve, where she obviously had some sowed-in contraption to keep it secured.

"Thank you", Ariel said and smiled widely. Killian sighed and started walking again, following Wolfgang.

"You realize you might not find him, or survive?" he called.

"I will", Ariel argued. Killian wondered how long he would be able to deal with the stubbornness of this mermaid-turned-human and stopped, turning towards her again.

"Didn't you see the fear Blackbeard's name struck into my crew?" he asked, his voice harsh. "You don't become a pirate captain through mercy. If I were you, I would prepare myself for the worst."

Ariel's confident look faltered and he turned to continue the trek.

"So you would have killed Prince Eric if you had him?" Filipi called.

"You don't believe that?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Well, honestly, I for one was a little surprised to hear that you might be responsible for Eric's kidnapping", Ariel responded, "after the stories I've heard."

He stopped and spun around towards the two women again. Smee, walking even further behind, looked decidedly uncomfortable with the bickering, but Killian did not care the slightest.

"What stories?" he instead demanded to know.

"Well", Ariel begun, "the ones of you helping reunite Snow White and her family in Neverland."

"Why do you think they even sent a message to you?" Filipi filled in. "To some people you are a hero."

He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer, glaring down into her pale face. If stories like that were spreading about him it was no wonder Blackbeard had dared to take his ship; people thought he had gone soft. He had not; he was the same pirate he had always been. No one should even dare to believe otherwise.

"Don't believe every story you hear", he hissed.

"Hey", Wolfgang said, suddenly appearing behind them, "let go of her."

Killian glanced back and saw how the younger man had produced his wand, not yet pointing it at him but probably ready to do so. He let go of the blonde's arm to signal a truce and signalled to Smee to continue on. The man in the red cap hurriedly walked past them, continuing up the hill.

"Being good is nothing to be ashamed of", Ariel said once Smee was out of earshot. "People change. Look at me; I have legs and fell in love with a human. I don't think anyone saw that coming."

"You may have changed", Killian responded, "I haven't. I'm a pirate and I always will be."

"Nothing wrong with that", Wolfgang said, "and I don't think anyone else would know the way to a pirate's cove but a pirate, so we're lucky to have found one like yourself."

Killian sent a glare in his direction before stomping past him, his mood significantly darker than before. To his surprise, however, Wolfgang turned and started walking next to him. It would seem the younger man found it amusing to see Killian in such a foul mood, just like he had previously enjoyed seeing the sorcerer ready to kill someone every time a twig snapped.

"You know", Wolfgang said and pulled out an apple from his bag, "your story in this land is far more interesting than the one I heard back in mine."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Killian grumbled.

"Let's just say a pirate who's deadly afraid of a crocodile with a ticking clock in its belly was not exactly scary", the sorcerer responded. Killian turned towards him with a surprised frown.

"A what?"

"See?" Wolfgang said with a grin. "Not scary at all."

"Is this your way of annoying me or an attempt to cheer me up?" Killian demanded to know. Wolfgang took a bite from his apple while considering the question.

"Let's just say that I think the two of us are more alike than we initially thought", he responded. "Apart from your ability to drink and my lack of such."

Killian found the corners of his lips turning upwards.

"Well, if you ever fancy leaving the familiarity of land and going out on the sea as a pirate, I might just give you a place onboard my ship", he said. "You'd make a fine jester."

"That is quite possibly the most interesting offer I've had since we ended up in this land", Wolfgang said with a grin and produced a second apple from his bag, tossing it to the pirate who caught it in his right hand. "Now let's see this Blackbeard get the shakes from seeing a mismatched group of people demand that he return the Jolly Roger to its rightful owner; Captain Hook."

"Killian Jones", Killian corrected. "My name is Killian Jones."

Well, seems like those two have bonded. Good or bad?